Former German international Kerem Demirbay could make his debut for the Turkish national team after moving from Bayer Leverkusen to Galatasaray in Istanbul.
“We will definitely investigate this. There are a few formalities that need to be checked. On the other hand, of course, he has to be better than the players we have,” national coach Stefan Kuntz told the Ajansspor portal.
Born in Herten, Demirbay (30) played for Turkey in his youth, but in 2017 he played two senior internationals for Germany, one of them at the Confed Cup. The Turkish FA had previously tried to persuade Demirbay to opt for the Turkey national team.
Kuntz also stated that he was not disappointed that Hansi Flick and not him succeeded Joachim Löw as national coach in 2021: “When two people are in the race and the decision is made for the other, it’s not disappointing. It’s almost like one athletic competition. If you think you’re doing your best but you’re losing, you have to accept it.”
Because Kuntz had become European champion twice with the German U21, he was also considered a candidate for Löw’s successor. Instead, he then moved to Turkey. “I wanted a new challenge after the years with the U21s. Working as a foreign coach in a foreign country was a double challenge. I listened to my feelings and after very good negotiations I was sure that this step was the right one”, said the 60-year-old.
He is currently following German football from afar. When asked if he would become national coach one day, Kuntz only said: “I think that we will take part in the EURO 2024 in Germany with the Turkish national team.”
